March - Williamsburg , VA Magazine , Next Door Neighbors

uild or extensively renovate about 10 homes,often serving as project foreman, and worked on“a few dozen” smaller projects such as painting,installing cabinets and building handicappedaccessramps. Harlan, however, is a modest person:HPI puts that “few dozen” figure in thehundreds.Most recently, Harlanled a group of William andMary students who built anew home for an elderlywoman living in a crumblingsingle-wide trailer.The team constructed the framing, siding androof in the middle of a field on campus beforefinishing the project at the home site on LittleCreek Dam Road in upper James City County.Friends and colleagues describe Harlanas soft-spoken, kind, patient and persistent.Despite his gentle demeanor, they say, he is anatural leader for people of all ages, includingstudents easily young enough to be his grandchildren.“Generations of students have learned fromHarlan’s teachings,” says Drew Stelljes, Directorof Community Engagement at William andMary. “Through his actions he teaches aboutconstruction, but the larger life lesson that heimparts is long-term commitment to communityand to working with humility and compassion.”In conversations about his work, Harlan isadamant that credit goes to others who havevolunteered alongside him. His list includesleaders at HPI, a United Way agency; membersof his church, St. Stephen Lutheran; Williamand Mary students; and even one individual,Bob Richardson, who has joined the St. Stephengroup many times even though he belongsto a different church.“The work and the people I’ve worked withhave enriched my life,” Harlan says. “I’velearned a lot on every single project I’ve done.”The professor emeritus also downplays hisrole as a foreman: “All of our group are amateursand work well together. My volunteerstend to be self-starters who can see what needsto be done and where they can contribute. Myjob is to coordinate: to make clear the natureof the task and that the necessary materials andtools are in hand. When a particular volunteerknows a task better than I, I let him run withit (with some refereeing). I spend most of mytime in working, not supervising.”Harlan generally has two favorite momentsduring home-building projects: the start andthe finish. Getting the initial floors and walls in“The work and the people I’ve worked with have enriched mylife. I’ve learned a lot on every single project I’ve done.”~ Harlan Schoneplace is “enjoyable, because things go up veryfast and it looks great going up.” And seeing thecompleted product is “just a great feeling.”While Harlan hasn’t formed many close personalrelationships with owners of the homeshe’s built, he knows the poor conditions thatmany of them had lived in before: unsafe, dilapidatedstructures with collapsing porches,roofs and floors and a lack of indoor plumbing,heat or air conditioning.“I just feel happy for the owner,” he says.“I feel like I’m doing something meaningful,which is especially important to me now thatI’m retired from teaching.” Sometimes, Harlanwill drive by homes he has worked on inthe past. “It’s interesting to see how peopleCapital Carpet Care’sTeam is Very Professional“Capital Carpet Care had cleaned our oriental rugs previously andwe were very happy with their service. Recently we asked themto clean the carpet in our bedrooms, basement and family roomand also stretch the carpet in an area of the basement where ithad bunched up. They also spot treated some of the stains inthe carpet from where we had entertained. Their crew was veryprofessional. They completed the cleaning and showed us eachroom to make sure we were completely satisfied. We could nothave been more pleased.” ~ Curtis and Darleen Browncommercial • residential1/2 PRICE SPECIAL!Allow us to Clean One Area or Oriental Rug and We’llClean a Second One.....HALF PRICE!(757) 564-8000Fringe Repair Service • Full Service Carpet CleaningUpholstery Cleaning • Tile & Grout • Pet Odors & StainsSecond rug must be same size orsmaller. Cleaning of both rugs mustbe done during same visit.Vickie Skutans,Offer Expires 3/31/11Co-OwnerNEXT DOOR NEIGHBORSMARCH2011 11